"Leonardo studied the human body"; "he has a strong physique"; "the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak"

anatomy(noun)

a detailed analysis

"he studied the anatomy of crimes"

Wiktionary(3.67 / 3 votes)Rate this definition:

anatomy(Noun)

The art of studying the different parts of any organized body, to discover their situation, structure, and economy; dissection.

anatomy(Noun)

The science that deals with the form and structure of organic bodies; anatomical structure or organization.

anatomy(Noun)

A treatise or book on anatomy.

anatomy(Noun)

The act of dividing anything, corporeal or intellectual, for the purpose of examining its parts; analysis; as, the anatomy of a discourse.

anatomy(Noun)

The form of an individual, particularly a person, used in a tongue in cheek manner, as might be a term used by a medical professional, but in a markedly a less formal context, in which a touch of irony becomes apparent.

"I went to the Venice beach body building competition and noticed the competitor from Athen, and boy oh boy lemme tell ya, that's what a call classic Greek anatomy."

Freebase(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

Anatomy

Anatomy is a branch of biology and medicine that considers the structure of living things. It is a general term that includes human anatomy, animal anatomy, and plant anatomy. In some of its facets anatomy is closely related to embryology, comparative anatomy and comparative embryology, through common roots in evolution.
Anatomy is subdivided into gross anatomy and microscopic anatomy. Gross anatomy is the study of anatomical structures that can, when suitably presented or dissected, be seen by unaided vision with the naked eye. Microscopic anatomy is the study of minute anatomical structures on a microscopic scale. It includes histology, and cytology. The terms microanatomy and histology are also sometimes used synonymously.
The history of anatomy has been characterized, over time, by a continually developing understanding of the functions of organs and structures in the body. Methods have also improved dramatically, advancing from examination of animals through dissection of cadavers to technologically complex techniques developed in the 20th century including X-ray, ultrasound, and MRI.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

Anatomy

an-a′tom-i, n. the art of dissecting any organised body: science of the structure of the body learned by dissection: a skeleton, a shrivelled and shrunken body, a mummy: (fig.) the lifeless form or shadow of anything: humorously for the body generally: the detailed analysis of anything, as in Burton's famous treatise, The Anatomy of Melancholy.—adjs.Anatom′ic, -al, relating to anatomy.—adv.Anatom′ically.—v.t.Anat′omise, to dissect a body: (fig.) to lay open minutely.—n.Anat′omist, one skilled in anatomy. [Gr. ana, up, asunder, temnein, to cut.]

U.S. National Library of Medicine(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition: